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How do you pollinate a flower?

PrairieChilihead

PrairieChilihead

I have some flowers on a plant I am over-wintering, and though actually having peppers develop wasn't part of my original plan, I'd like to try and see what happens. Have to admit, though, that I don't know how to pollinate the flowers. What do I do? Do I get a Q-Tip and touch "something" from one flower and then "touch" something else in a different flower? Or shake the plant, or blow on it? Thanks.
 
Shaking them will do the job for most plants. When using a q-tip, touch the flowers inside gently with it until you have some of the yellowish powder on the q-tip and very gently rub it on the tiny thingy in the center of the flower or another flower. Sounds harder than it is.
 
Waaaaaah! I was 'gently' turning the flower upwards so I could see the parts and it came off in my hand. :lol:

I didn't see a stigma, though. I did see a teensy little green ball that may have been a pepper-to-be. Does the stigma fall off when the pepper forms?

Thanks for the answers, by the way.
 
Well most flowers that wont set fruit snap off very easily. The stem turns yellow and the base is very thin.

Eventualy the stigma falls off when the pepper is formed.
 
PrairieChilihead said:
Waaaaaah! I was 'gently' turning the flower upwards so I could see the parts and it came off in my hand. :lol:

I didn't see a stigma, though. I did see a teensy little green ball that may have been a pepper-to-be. Does the stigma fall off when the pepper forms?
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That was your pepper growing, I don't look at my peppers too much but when I have the pepper kind of grows out the pointy stigma bit.
 
Ah well. There are more flowers developing. All I did was give the branch a bit of a gentle shaking, but I wasn't sure if that was all that was needed. It seems weird that the two parts that have to come together are both located in the same flower. Seems like the resulting pepper would be inbred. Is it the same for all peppers? All fruits? Or does it just depend on the specific variety?
 
Depends on the type of plant. Most cucumbers are not self-pollinating but I have three - Holland Hothouse, Sweet Jade and Diva that are.

Mike
 
Hi PrairieChilihead,

I overwintered some plants in a grow tent in the garage last winter, and had troubles getting fruit to set despite a 600W HPS lamp.

I ended up buying a really cheap electric toothbrush from the supermarket, and putting the back of brush head on the top of the flower. Quite often if the flower is wide open and ready to release you will see a cloud of pollen. I had great success this way, and you only need to do it once every 2 days.

I know people say that having a fan of some sort should aid in pollination, but for some reason, without using the toothbrush, I just couldnt get fruit to set. Besides that, gave me a chance to inspect the plants for any abnormalities as well, considerng aphids love the protection of a closed environment like a tent.
 
Used the qtip method and brush when i have a few plants that are isolated away,The t - Bag method is good to but the results are identical to the former :lol:
 
I just leave them alone as chiles were doing their own thing in South American jungles before humans even knew they existed. on the rare occasion that I have felt the need to get involved I've just used my finger and rubbed it in each blossom of the same plant.

remember, chile blossoms contain both male and female reproductive parts and you can shroud or glue the blossom closed to produce a pod with pure seed - so q-tips/bees/wind/fertility dances etc are all pretty much unnecessary.
 
The most I ever do for pollination is use a fan but even that isn't neccessary. Chiles grown indoors(and greenhouse) without pollinating insects produce well for me and will rarely cross. I don't believe the q-tip method can guarantee true breeding since you can't tell if every pistol is successfully pollinated by the intended source.
 
POTAWIE said:
...I don't believe the q-tip method can guarantee true breeding since you can't tell if every pistol is successfully pollinated by the intended source.
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right you are Potawie as the blossom may have been pollinated before you get to it
 
I grow inside in a greenhouse with a fan and I do nothing but let the plant grow and flower.

I have plenty of fruit and have yet to have a cross in over 10 years.

Hand-pollination is an OCD problem.......it helps the OCD but not the fruit.
 
willard3 said:
I grow inside in a greenhouse with a fan and I do nothing but let the plant grow and flower.

I have plenty of fruit and have yet to have a cross in over 10 years.

Hand-pollination is an OCD problem.......it helps the OCD but not the fruit.
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You sound like my brother talking few months back when iam isolating plants and he says im waisting my time :mouthonfire:
 
talas said:
You sound like my brother talking few months back when iam isolating plants and he says im waisting my time :mouthonfire:
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Hey Talas babe, a waist is what I have above my legs. Put a 's' on the end of 'iam' and that's what I feed my dog.
 
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